TNInvestco Award Winners

Council & Enhanced Tennessee Fund, LLC (C&E) is a Nashville-based investment partnership focused on building seed and early-stage, transformational businesses in Tennessee. Council Ventures and Enhanced Capital Partners established C&E to partner with entrepreneurs in pursuing innovative, high growth market opportunities. Over the past two decades, C&E’s affiliates have built a proven investment performance track record and have demonstrated a strong, continuing commitment to supporting Tennessee-based businesses. The investment committee of C&E consists of Dennis Bottorff, Katie Gambill, Andrew Paul and Michael Korengold.

Innova is a pre-seed, seed and early-stage investor focused on starting and funding high-growth companies in the biosciences, technology and agbio fields across the state of Tennessee. Through its relationship with the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, Innova provides entrepreneurs with access to incubator facilities, training and mentoring, industry networks and seasoned executives. Innova’s investment team of Ken Woody, Jan Bouten and Barham Ray has a combined 23 years of investment experience and more than 75 years of industry experience.

Limestone Fund is located in Nashville, Tenn. and will invest throughout Tennessee in early-stage life sciences and technology companies targeting patients and consumers. The principals of the fund are Joe Cook, Jr., Joe Cook, III, Steve Singleton and Byron Smith.

The principals of Solidus-TNInvestco have worked as venture capitalists in Tennessee for the last 24 years, investing in 47 seed and early-stage companies. This activity has generated more than 20,000 jobs and attracted more than $300 million of capital into Tennessee. Further, the principals are committed to finding promising entrepreneurs across the entire state, with current portfolio company offices located in 11 different counties and plans to open Solidus-TNInvestco investment offices in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga and Oak Ridge. The principals for Solidus-TNInvestco include Townes Duncan and Vic Gatto.

Tennessee Angel Fund is a statewide angel co-investment fund. Tennessee Angel Fund leverages the experience, expertise and capital of a network of angel investors to grow Tennessee-based early stage companies. The fund is managed by a group of committed investors representing Scenic City Angel Partners, Nashville Capital Network and other individual investors and informal angel groups throughout the state.

Tennessee Community Venture Fund LLC (TNCV) is a venture capital investment firm located in Nashville, Tenn. TNCV focuses on technology transfer, seed and early stage investment opportunities across industry sectors, paying particular attention to leading-edge technology-enabled products and services that will ultimately improve or transform their industries. The TNCV investment team includes Eric Satz, William Guttman, John Hopkins from the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, and Eduardo Rallo from Pacific Community Ventures and has more than 60 years experience founding, identifying, investing in and raising follow-on capital for high-growth companies.

XMi High Growth Development Fund, LLC is a certified TNInvestco applicant with operations in Nashville (XMi Holdings) and Chattanooga (The Lupton Company). Our team of experienced and successful operators, investors and mentors coupled with XMi's back office support for entrepreneurs will create above market returns for the State. The investment managers in XMi High Growth Development Fund are Michael Schmerling, James Phillips, Thomas Cigarran, and Steven Gerringer.